Design of Smoke Control Systems for Elevator Fire Evacuation Including Wind Effects.
Design of Smoke Control Systems for Elevator Fire
Evacuation Including Wind Effects.
(1338 K)
Klote, J. H.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
Elevators, Fire and Accessibility, 2nd Symposium.
Proceedings. April 19-21, 1995, Am. Soc. of Mechanical
Engineers, New York, NY, 59-77 pp, 1995.
Keywords:
elevators (lifts); smoke control; evacuation; wind
effects; fire safety; mobility; handicapped; pressure
differential; pressure effects; pressurization;
temperature
Abstract:
There is a rising concern for the safety of people from
fire who cannot travel building emergency exit routes in
the same manner or as quickly as expected of able
people. One proposed solution for providing safety for
persons with mobility limitations is the concept of an
emergency elevator evacuation system (EEES). This paper
presents information about the design of smoke control
systems to prevent smoke infiltration into an EEES.
Pressure differences produced when windows break both
with and without wind can be significant, and the design
of a smoke control system for an EEES needs to address
these pressure differences. The paper identifies that
wind data specifically for the design of smoke control
systems is needed. The pressure fluctuations due to
opening and closing building doors during fire
situations can also be significant, and the design of a
smoke control system for an elevator system needs to
address these pressure fluctuations. An example
analysis incorporating the pressure effects of broken
windows, wind, and open doors illustrates the
feasibility of designing smoke control systems for
EEESs.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899